Planning and Design

Today, with the easy availability of housing loans, with better and competitive professional services, with innumerable building materials and products in the market and with ample information on the net, house construction in India seems like a walk in the park!...
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Once the Project Brief has been prepared and you have a rough idea of your preferences in the Choice of materials, the Interiors and the Exteriors, it is time to turn your thoughts to the plan of the House. Many people are unsure as to how the rooms should be laid out (the Plan).So, an easy way to start in this direction is to refer to the Vaastu Plan called the Vaastu Purusha Mandala....
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An Architect is a person trained and licensed to plan, design and oversee (supervise) the construction of a house or a building. The word "architect" comes from Latin architectus, which in turn is derived from the Greek arkhitekton (arkhi, chief + tekton, builder"). In its broadest sense, an Architect is a person who translates a user's requirements into a built environment....
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This post will give you, the client, an idea of the responsibilities, the scope of work and services that you can expect from the Architect, as prescribed by the Council of Architecture (CoA) in the Conditions of Engagement of Architects....
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Choosing your Architect should be done with care.Your relationship will be a lengthy one involving big sums of money and for most people, possibly the biggest investment they will ever make. So it is important that you choose the right Architect, one you can trust. Here are some points to consider when choosing an Architect....
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Once you have zeroed in on the right Architect, the next step is to brief the Architect with your requirements. It is advisable to be well prepared as it will enable the Architect to understand your ideas better....
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Defrost your freezer if the ice is 5mm thick. Keep the temperature towards the higher side in order to avoid over frosting of the food in winters. Get refrigerator services once in a year it would keep its condenser coil dust free by vacuuming it. Servicing will ensure the magnetic door seal on the refrigerator doesn’t leak also that on/off cycle of the refrigerator works properly. This will also give a longer life to your refrigerator....
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Finalise the Rate of Construction with the Contractor at the onset. It can be settled either on Labour Rates or on With Material Basis. It is better to settle the rates as per Labour Rates provided you can yourself manage supply of good quality materials at competive rates....
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When a building experiences earthquake vibrations its foundation will move back and forth with the ground. These vibrations can be quite intense, creating stresses and deformation throughout the structure making the upper edges of the building swing from a few mm to many inches dependent on their height size and mass. ...
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There has been a rise in the use of thermal insulation materials inside commercial, public, residential buildings. In India more than 80% of the buildings are made of RCC and bricks thus this insulation is provided at various locations inside or outside the building for the following purposes....
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To design the building components so that a normal modern house of say 3500 sft can be centrally air-conditioned to provide very efficient airconditioned cooling during summers and heating during winters at an average running energy costs of Rs 3500/- to Rs 5000/- a month....
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Where ever proper planning is done during construction sanitary vertical stakes are fixed on outer faces of walls.
But in the recent years a trend has started to embedd these pipes with in walls in smaller housing. ...
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When a building experiences earthquake vibrations its foundation will move back and forth with the ground. These vibrations can be quite intense, creating stresses and deformation throughout the structure....
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Construction with the help of Labour Contractor
Its generally observed that more than 90% of the construction of residences, commercial buildings and Industries at the small scale level are done directly by the Owner with the help of Labour Contractor and a Architect / Engineer...
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For a Layman its tough to know what to expect of his Architect and what type of drawings should be expected of him.At times he is also not aware regarding what all he should discuss with his architect. ...
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The Vastu for Living Room has a set of basic rules which when followed can let you and your family have a problem free-living in the Living Room. Firstly, it is very important to know that living room should always face the East or the North direction....
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If your Electrical Bill is running sky high monthly, knowing how they add up might give you a rough idea on where you can save up. In every household, the biggest culprits that can send your Bill sky rocking are:...
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I recently made a house for myself - oh it was not an easy task. Getting land and managing finances was one of the most challenging tasks but getting the entire construction done seemed Herculean effort for someone not initiated or new to this industry. ...
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Following important points to know while planning a house at Delhi :-
1. Road level in front of plot is taken as zero level for all levels in the building.Plinth level is kept at least one ft. higher ie.at level 1.0 or higher.Total height of the building allowed is 15.0 meters or 49.21 ft. In case of Gurgaon,Total height allowed is 11.00 mts.ie 36.00 ft. & besides basement, GF, Ist &IInd floor are allowed....
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If your new bathroom does not look like much and a makeover is in order, several things an be done to improve the look and feel of a small bathroom. If you are faced with the challenge of doing up a small bathroom, check out these easy tricks to get started....
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